The subject invention relates to a transparent head restraint.
Head restraint structures mounted on vehicle seats are well known. A wide variety of well known types of vehicle seats are used in motor vehicles including bucket seats which accommodate one passenger, and bench seats which accommodate a plurality of passengers. Both two-passenger and three-passenger bench seats are well known. Vehicles seats are typically arranged in a plurality of rows in the vehicle interior. Sports utility-type vehicles and van-type vehicles, for example, frequently have a first row of seats comprised of two bucket seats and a second and third row (or more) of bench seats behind the first row.
Head restraint structures for protecting the head and neck of seat occupants during a vehicle accident are well known in the art and are usually mounted on each seat in a vehicle. The structure and operation of conventional head restraint structures are a source of many problems in vehicle construction and operation. Conventional head restraint structures assume a variety of structural configurations and are commonly constructed of metal, plastic, and foam-like material. Head restraint structures must be constructed to meet many government and OEM requirements, including requirements for cost, weight, safety, and interference with the vehicle driver""s rearward vision. It can be appreciated that these requirements are frequently in conflict. A small, light-weight and inexpensive head restraint structure, for example, may reduce cost and increase a driver""s rearward visibility, but may compromise seat occupant safety, especially during vehicle accidents involving angular impacts. Likewise, the converse may also be true in certain situations.
Conventional head restraint structures are typically vertically and angularly adjustable. This adjustability can also compromise occupant safety. More specifically, most conventional head restraint structures must be properly positioned vertically for each individual passenger to afford maximum passenger protection during a vehicle accident. Because most head restraint structures are adjustable, however, if the restraint structure is not readjusted for each successive occupant of a particular seat, the head restraint structure may be deployed in an ineffective or hazardous position for a particular occupant during a collision.
Conventional head restraint structures, particularly the head restraint structures on second and third row seating also cause problems with a driver""s vision in situations where he must look towards the rear of the vehicle. Vehicles with three-abreast seating for the second or third rows often have three head restraint structures mounted on the bench seat. These head restraints can restrict the rearward vision of the driver although statistics show that these seats are rarely occupied.
One solution contemplated by the prior art to overcome the restrictions of rearward vision for the driver is to provide a transparent head restraint assembly such as shown in German Patent No. 27 34 049. The transparent head restraints known in the prior art are fixedly secured to a headrest frame or to a rigid mounting structure on the headrest frame. Hence, although the transparent head restraint itself may flex or move, the mounting structure does not provide any resiliency when impact forces are experienced by the head restraint. The rigid mounting structures therefore limit the absorption characteristics of the head restraint assembly.
The problems associated with conventional head restraint structures can be overcome by providing one or more (preferably all) vehicle seats in a vehicle with a transparent head restraint assembly including a resiliently mounted panel of transparent material which functions as a passenger head restraint. The transparent head restraint assembly according to the present invention can be included in both bucket seats and bench seats. Head restraint structures which incorporate transparent panels can be constructed to meet or exceed design requirements for passenger safety, vehicle weight, and construction costs. In particular, the transparency of the head restraint ensures that the driver""s rearward vision will not be interfered with.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a transparent headrest restraint assembly for use on a vehicle seat comprising a frame member adapted for securing a head restraint member to the vehicle seat. The frame member forms an outer portion of the head restraint assembly and defines an inner opening. A transparent head restraint member is seated in the opening of the frame member and a mounting structure is disposed between the transparent head restraint member and the frame member for securing the transparent head restraint member to the frame member.